Incident in Cell Block C
by Wildnight
Summary: Blair encounters troubles while teaching a class at Starkville Prison.


This was inspired by the episode 'Prisoner X'.

Incident in Cell Block C

Debbie Tripp

Blair pushed past the crowd that had suddenly gathered near the recreation area. All he wanted was to get off the grounds and back into the open. He kept his head down, ignoring the apologies from the warden and the guards and the various remarks from the assembled inmates. He pushed on, not sparing a glance at the two dead inmates that had been taken out by snipers from the state police.

It said something that he hadn't flinched when the shots rang out with precise accuracy.

The paramedic tried to stop him to check him out once he reached then entrance to C Block. But Blair shrugged away from the touch and contact and concern.

"I'm fine." It had been whispered harshly as he continued on.

He heard the footfalls following him. He stopped suddenly and pivoted. The paramedic almost bumped into him.

"I told you I'm FINE!"

Blair didn't even try to hide his irritation. His eyes showed his anger.

"The officials told me you had been assaulted. They said something about blood. They wanted me to check you out."

"I'll sign a waiver, absolving them of liability and responsibility. And to clear you, too. I've done it before."

"But…"

Blair cut the guy off. "I said NO! Now, where is the form?" Blair was able to control his actions as he turned around and resumed his walk down the hall.

"It's in the guard's office!" the paramedic yelled after Blair's retreating form.

Blair waved his hand without turning around. When he reached his classroom, he walked inside and looked around. This is where it had happened. But it was, in no way, his fault.

It was the guards, who hadn't searched the inmates thoroughly enough for weapons. Blair was sure there would be an inquiry and suspensions, maybe even more than that. Blair had already decided not to add to the mix. He knew how hard a prison guard's life and career could be. And he didn't want to add more problems to it all. The inmates already didn't like him. He didn't need to add the guards on top of that.

He got to the front of the room and saw the few drops of blood there. His blood. He looked at his crudely bandaged left hand. He had used his own handkerchief. Even now, some blood was seeping through the makeshift bandage. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to have it looked at. Hard telling where that weapon had been. And the last thing Blair needed was to come down with some nasty infection of some type. He was up to date on his tetanus shots. He had learned his lesson over the years that there was no use tempting fate.

Blair gathered up his books and papers and placed them in his backpack. He left the classroom and walked to the guard's office, going inside.

Blair started to remove his handkerchief. "I thought about it," said Blair as he threw the bloodied handkerchief down on the table there. "The wound probably should be cleaned out. My shots are up to date. It does look a little raw." Blair was staring at the slash on his hand.

The paramedic came over. "Sit down, Mr. Sandburg. I'll clean it out." The paramedic put his medical bag on the table and sat down on the chair beside Blair. "Any other injuries you need me to look at?"

"No. The bruises will fade over time." Blair watched the paramedic remove several items from the bag.

"By the way, you can call me Blair. Everyone does."

"Okay, Blair. This may sting a little." He applied the medicated cloth to the cut. "By the way, my name's Jesse."

Blair sucked in his breath at the contact of the cloth cleaning out the wound.

"It doesn't look too deep, Blair. Must have been a passing swipe."

Jesse pulled out bandages to cover the wound.

"Let's just say it's not wise to get between two inmates that hate each other, Jesse. Ouch," cried Blair as Jesse tightened the bandage over the wound on his left hand.

"Sorry about that, Blair. I'm all done. But how about I clean that cut over your right eye?"

"Sure. Why not?"

Blair closed his eyes as Jesse ministered to the cut over his right eye he got when he got hit in the face by one of the inmates. Blair was able to relax here for the first time since the whole incident had started. Blair opened his eyes and looked at his watch. It had only been three hours from beginning to end of the incident. It had seemed like an eternity.

"All done, Blair."

"Huh?" Blair looked at Jesse, who was starting to put his supplies away.

"I said, all done. You sure you're okay?" Jesse stared intently at Blair.

"Um, yeah. Just the events of the past hours are catching up to me. I just need to go home. Thanks, Jesse."

Blair got to his feet, looking around and then leaving the guard's office. Jesse finished putting his stuff away and closed his bag, getting up to follow Blair. Blair was walking towards the gates that would lead to the outside.

"Blair? Wait up! I'll go out with you!" Jesse ran to catch up.

Blair stopped, turned and waited for Jesse to catch up. They were both processed out of the prison and Blair stopped once he was outside of the walls. Jesse had gone on ahead but stopped when he realized Blair had stopped. Jesse turned, seeing Blair surveying the sky and the land around them.

"You sure you're okay, Blair?" Jesse let his worry come through.

Blair looked over at Jesse and smiled. "Yeah, Jesse. Quit worrying so much. I'll have enough people worrying about me once I get back to Cascade. I'm sort of surprised they didn't show up here. Maybe they don't even know yet."

Blair saw the concern still on Jesse's face. "Really, I'm fine!" Blair chuckled.

"You okay to drive to Cascade? I could give you a ride?"

"I'll be okay, Jesse." Blair walked off towards his car.

Jesse followed him, getting out a card.

"Um…Blair?"

Blair turned again to face Jesse. Jesse thrust the card into Blair's hand. Blair looked at it, then back up at Jesse.

"Promise me you'll call when you get home, Blair. Please."

Blair chuckled again and shook his head. He looked back down at the card and back up at Jesse.

"Okay, I promise. Thank you for patching me up."

"See your doctor if you have problems. Okay?"

"I will, Jesse." Blair put the card in his coat pocket and shook Jesse's hand. He then got into his car and drove off.

Jesse stood there, watching as Blair drove off. He then got into his ambulance, stowing away his gear. He called into his base operation, giving the particulars on his treatment of Blair Sandburg. He was soon on his way back to his base.

Blair drove back to Cascade, taking his time because he knew what Jim's reaction would be when he got home. Jim would go into Blessed Protector overdrive. It was rather curious that no one in Cascade knew about the incident at Starkville. It wouldn't go over well with either Jim or the rest of Major Crime. No matter how much Blair explained it, it wouldn't matter.

And Jim would probably try to get his credentials pulled or cancelled. Again. Jim hadn't been happy from when Blair had applied to Starkville and had been accepted as a teacher. But Blair had done it because he felt like he was actually helping.

Blair let the thoughts fade away as he focused on the aches and pains inflicted by the inmates of C Block. By far the most violent of all the cell blocks at Starkville. There had been a few punches to his midsection and bruises on his arms where he had been held and led from the classroom. He'd live – he had no broken bones, no internal bleeding.

He had decided to give Jim the whole story of what happened. And he hoped Jim would understand.

Blair shook his head. His life was just a trouble magnet. He'd just have to live with it.

THE END (for now)


End file.
